Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE,

PETER N. RAMSEY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO WILLIAM l?. ItAMSEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,756, dated Mardi17,1874; application iiled January 28, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER N. RAMSEY, of Newark, in the county of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCar-Gouplin gs and I do hereby declare the following to be a full andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aperspective view of my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 longitudinalvertical sections, showing the operation of coupling out of level.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote thesame parts.

My invention has for its object to provide for public use an automaticlink and pin coupling for cars, which shall couple when the cars are outof level or on a curve as well as when in line. It also has for itsobject to provide means for holding the link and preventing theuncoupling of the cars in case the couplingpin is lost or broken. Tothese ends, it consists in providing the chamber of the drawhead of alink and pin coupling with a pivoted iiap or latch hanging vertically insaid chamber, and adapted to perform the following functions, viz:First, to hold the pin in an elevated position until the link entersfromthe opposite draw-head, then allowing it to fall within the link, thelatter swinging the flap backward as it enters and disengaging it fromthe pin 5 second, to engage with a projection on the end of the link andhold it, so that if the pin is lost or broken the link cannot bewithdrawn from the draw-head; and, third, to bear downward on the innerend of the link when engaged with it, as last stated, and by its weighthold the link balanced horizontally, so that its outer end is free toswing upward, downward, or laterally, and thereby enter the oppositedrawhead, and effect the coupling when the drawheads are at differentheights or when the cars are on a curve, the mouths of the drawheadsbeing properly tapered or curved to guide the link as it enters. Thepivoted flap or latch is provided with a horizontal arm proj ectin goutside of the draw-head, said arm having a lever attached to it atright angles, the latter being connected by a chain or other inea-nswith the coupling-pin, so that when the pin is raised and withdrawn fromthe drawhead the 11a-p or latch is also raised by the same operation andthe link entirely disengaged, all of which I will now proceed todcscribe.

In the drawings, A represents the draw-head, composed, preferably, ofthe top and bottoni wrought-iron plates c c, united by the side plates aa', and having the transverse end or face plate B, of suitablethickness, all securely bolted together. The end plate B has an oriicein its center for the entrance of the link, said orifice being beveledor curved outward, as shown, so as to guide the end of a link strikingit toward the center. C is the pin, which is applied in the usualmanner; and D is a metallic flap or latch pivoted in the draw-head on atransverse bolt, E, which has its bearings in the side plates cimmediately in the rear of the pin O and near the upper plate a. On theouter end of the bolt E is an arm or elbow, E', which is connected, by achain, G, with the upper end of the pin, as shown in Fig. 1. The flap orlatch D is of such size and shape as to extend across the draw-head whenit hangs vertically, in which position its upper outer corner projectsunder the pin and holds it in an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 2,until the link enters and swings the flap backward, allowing the pin todrop. F represents the link, the ends of which are made solid for alength corresponding to the distance between the pin and the free end ofthe lap D, when the latter is swung back. On-the ends of the link arehooks or projections, d, which engage with the free end of the flap, asshown. The width of the link is somewhat less than that of the-chamberto give it some lateral play.

It will be seen from the foregoing, first, that when the pivoted flaphangs freely it supports the pin out of the chamber; secondly, that whenthe flap is struck by the end of an enteringlink it is swung backward,disengaging the pin, which drops into the link and engaging at its freeend with the hook on the end of the link, thereby preventing itswithdrawal, the pin and flap coming to their bearings on the link at thesame moment; thirdly, that the weight of the flap resting on the innerend of the link is sufficient to hold the latter balanced horizontally,so that its opposite end is free to rise and fall or swing laterally andaccommodate itself to the position of the adjacent drawhead in coupling,whether said draw-head be out of line longitudinally or vertically, thebeveled or curved mouth ofthe draw-head guiding the end of the link intothe chamber when it strikes below, above, or on one side.

By raising the pin from the draw-head the Hap is swung upward by meansof the chain G and elbow E', thereby disengaging the pin and flap fromthe link. The ap is not raised, however, until the pin is elevatedsufciently to take up the slack of the chain G. After the withdrawal ofthe link the ap is rst allowed to fall and the pin is again inserted7resting upon the corner of the ila-p, as before.

I claim as my inventionl. In a car-coupling, a latch pivoted within thechamber of the draw-bar, and adapted to hold the pin in an elevatedposition until the entrance of the link, and subsequently to en gagewith the link in such manner as to prevent its withdrawal from thedraw-head and hold it balanced horizontally, so as to couple out ofline, substantially as described, for the purpose speciied.

2. The latch D, having the arni E and elbow E', in combination with thepin O and link F, all combined to operate substantially as set forth.

PETER NEWTON RAMSEY. Witnesses:

JOHN H. MEEKER, SAML. DIEEKERe

